Bridging the Gap: The Educators Perspective

Many times educators feel that they all have to take the blame for the children who are struggling.. At times we group teachers all into one category and forget we  have many who go above and beyond for our children.

During my last two blogs I have been addressing the gap between home and school. It’s no secret that this is a serious issue and needs to be addressed. For this post, I wanted to speak with the educators and get their thoughts on how we can begin to close this gap.

Teachers agree communication between home and school is important so each and every student can be successful. The support needs to come from both sides so everyone is  on one page to help all children reach their full potential.

The teachers I spoke with agree we can close the gap if parents make themselves available and accept what the teacher has to say. They said parents tend to feel educators are attacking them or their child when discussing issues in the classroom.  Educators know the importance of having 100 percent engagement from all sides of the child’s circle.

Parents tell me they feel  intimidated when  they contact schools to address concerns but teachers say they welcome the parent voice.

They know the importance of having the parents involved in a hands-on  way. When it comes to parent/teacher conversations it can be a little uncomfortable depending on the sensitivity of the concern  but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t happen.  Parents should know they have an open door that swings both ways –both sides can make contact any time it is needed.

Everyone should be on the same playing field when it comes to educating our children.

The divide starts when parents lose trust in the educational system. Politics come into play and many teachers say it’s a political game they have to play, as sad as it is,  in order to educate our children. Many teachers lack the supplies and resources at times to get the job done, which has many parents wondering what is actually going on in the classroom and can leave educators feeling disgusted and helpless.

The gap between home and school is a serious matter — one can’t be successful without the other. Parents must be aware of what is going on in the classroom because it impacts their child at home, just as teachers need to know what is happening at home since it impacts classroom performance. The road needs to be easier to ensure a successful school year.

A group of parents from my children’s school started a parent/teacher connection to start to bridge the gap within our school because we know how important a strong connection isr for great results.

Let’s work on getting the gap to close and work as one for our children.

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